Fire-escape



(No Model.)

W. J. DEBUS.

PIRE ESCAPE.

No. 387,772. Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

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VTLLIAM J. DEBUS, OF ROCHESTER, NFV YORK.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

ESPECIFICAT'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,772, dated August 14,1888.

Application filed April E25, 1888.

To LZZ whom, it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. DEBUs, a citizen of the United States, residingat Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and l do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to fire-escapes, and has for its object the provision of means which can be conveniently operated by the occupant of a room to release a lifeline, which will antomatically unwind itself from a reel and at the same time sound au alarm, and to provide a device that can be quickly adjusted to the person and to the said line, and by which the person can lower himself 011 the line fast or slow, as desired.

The improvement consists, chiefly, of a case having three sides and the fourth side closed by a hinged door, which is fastened at its free end by a suitable catch, and having a series of projections extending up from the bottom of the case and braced laterally from the sides of the case, the projections being set staggering and on opposite sides of the longitudinal ceuter of the case, and having a cain-lever which is adapted to bind the said line between it and the side of the case with a greater or less friction to control the descent.

The improvement further consists of the details of construction which hereinafter will be more fully described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is asectional view of the cornice of a building, showing my invention; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the bracket on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3, a front view of the friction device, showing the belt applied thereto; Fig. 4, a front view ofthe friction device, showing the door open,on an enlarged scale; Fig. 5, a front view of the friction device, showing the door closed; and Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line X X of Fig. 4.

The life-line A is wound on a drum or reel, B, that is journaled at its ends in the arms c Serial No. 271,766. (No modchi mer e, secured to the reel and carried around f with it in its revolutions, striking against the gongfbell E, supported on the bracket O. The bracket is adapted to fold close to the building, and may be held folded by any well-known means, as the catch F,which is connected with the cord d', so that when the weight is released the bracket will likewise be released and swing outward,carrying the line away from the building a sufficient distance to avoid projections and prevent the person from being injured against the said building.

The friction device consists of the case G, composed of the bottom g, the sides g g2, and the door g3, that is hinged to the side g and held to the side g2 by the latch H, engaging with the arm lz. integral with and projecting from the side g2. The latch is pivotcd to the door and is limited in its movements by the studs h and h2. rihe projections I, l', and extending up from the bottom of the case, are braced laterally from the sides of the case. The projection I is arranged opposite the space between the two projections l and 1` and on one side of the longitudinal center of the case, the projections I and iilbeingon the other side of said longitudinal center. The opposing sides of the projections come quite close to the said line, but do not touch it,so as not to deflect the rope too much from a straight line. .The canrlever J, arranged at right angles to the case, is adapted to clamp the rope between it and the side g of the oase to regulate the descent of the person. The bottom and the sides of the case, together with the projections and the arm 7i, are integral, and the projections and the sides g and g are of an equal height. The harness K is connected with the case by the snap-hooks k or like means.

Thefriction device can be quickly applied to and removed from the line by opening the doors, and when adjusted to the line is held thereon by closing and fastening the door.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The herein described fire escape, composed ofthe case having three sides and having projections extending up from the bottom and braced from the sides, the projections being set on opposite sides of the longitudinal center/of the case, the cam-lever extending at right angles to the case, and adapted to clamp the line between it andthe side of the case,'and the door hinged to one side of the case and adapted to be fastened at its free end to the other side of the case, substantially as described.

2. The herein shown and described friction fire-escape, composed of the case open at its to the longitudinal center of the case, the ca1nlever adapted to clamp the rope between it and the side of the case, the door hinged to one side of the case and provided with a pivoted latch, and the arm extending from the other side of the case, to be engaged by the said latch to fasten the door and hold the line in place between the projections and between the side of the case and the said camlever, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination of the strap D, the bracket C, hinged thereto at one end and having arms c at its other end, the reel jonrnaled between the arms c, the line wound on thereel and havingits end Weighted, the gong-bell supported on the bracket, the hammer carried by the reel, the catches for supporting the weighted end of the line and holding the bracket folded, and' the releasingcord for operating the catches, substantially as described.

In testimonyr whcreofI afdx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLAM J. DEBUS.

Vitnesses:

JOHN BAILEY,- JosIAH G. Fisk. 

